Smoker&#39;s pocket receptacle



July 1940- A. J. GELARD! SMOKERS POCKET RECEPTACLE Filed Jan. 19, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y A. .J. GELARD! 2208,71

SMOKERS POCKET RECEPTACLE Filed Jan. 19, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SMOKERS POCKET, RECEPTACLE August Joseph Gelardi, Mount Vernon, N. Y.

Application January 19, 1939, Serial No. 251,813

6 Claims.

3 having a shiftable top, which may be employed as an ash tray and receiver for burnt matches, cigarette stubs and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide I; a novel device of the above described character in which the top or cover for the receptacle is constructed to serve as a cigarette support whereby, when the receptacle is in use, the cover may be kept partially open and serve to support a cigarette in position with. the ash end overlying the mouth of the receptacle so that ashes dropping from the cigarette will fall into the receptacle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in. a, device of the character herein described, a novel body construction for the receptacle and novel means for slidablyretaining the receptacle cover in closed or opened position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a pocket ash receptacle which is designed to have secured to the underside thereof a pad or book of safety matches so that the said book of matches serves as a base or bottom pad for the receptacle when the book is closed.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be confined to anystrict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed. or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of an article constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of one of the side walls of the receptacle.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the unit forming the bottom, front and back walls of thereceptacle.

a Fig. 4 is a fragmentary; sectional view .at ...one

side of the device shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the method of securing the match book to the receptacle.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through aslightly modified form of the device illustrated Fig. 1. d

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the modified form shown in Fig. 5, the section being on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 'l-1 of Fig. 5, showing a method of coupling the receptacle walls together.

Fig, 8 is a transverse sectional view through the bottom portion of the receptacle and a match book showing another method of securing the book to the receptacle.

Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of a portion of the match book holding means illustrated in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary transverse section through the top of a receptacle showing a modification of themeans of slidably connecting the top with the receptacle.

, Referring tothe drawings, the numeral I generally designates a preferred form of the receptacle embodying the present invention. This receptacle is formed from four pieces of material of suitable character such as thin metal or a suitable composition material such as Bakelite 'or any other material which may be found satisfactory, and the receptacle is made up of a main unit consisting of thebottom 2 andthe end walls 3 and 4, which may be referred to, for the purpose of differentiation, as the front and back walls, respectively. This unit, as shown, is made I from a singlepiece of material, the attached end walls constituting turned up transversely extending portions of thebottom wall and the-front Wall is of slightly greater height than the back wall, as shown. While various satisfactory means may be employed for securing the parts of the receptacle together, the means here illustrated comprises end tongue extensions 5 for each of the walls} and land slots or openings 6 adjacent the tongues which cooperate with similar fastop surface is substantially convex.

Extending across the top edge of the rear Wallis a similar inturned tongue 8 which is also extended inwardly and curved. slightly downwardly.

Each of the side walls of the receptacle is generally indicated by the numeral 9 and, as shown, is of greater height at one end than at the other. The heights of the two ends of the side walls are slightly greater than the corresponding front and back walls with which they are connected, and these side walls are jointed to the front and back walls by locking tongues I 0 which extend from the ends of the side walls, which are passed through the slots 6 of the bottom unit and are then bent over against the outer sides of the adjacent end walls through which they pass. The tongues 5 are likewise bent over against the outer sides of the adjacent side walls, thus locking the parts together. Each of the side walls is provided with a bottom longitudinally extending flange II and a top guiding flange I2 which is formed to coact with the lid of the receptacle to retain the same in position, and this top flange is spaced slightly above the tops of the inturned lips I and 8, so that the top of the receptacle may pass betweenthe flanges 1 and 8 and the side wall flanges lying thereover.

The arrangement of the tongues l0 and slots 6 is such that when the side walls are joined to the front and rear walls 3 and 4, the desired space between the the flanges l2 and the underlying flanges l and 8 will be obtained and the bottom flange of each side wall will lie in a plane slightly below the bottom wall 2 of the receptacle, as shown in the detailed view in Fig. 4. Thus there will be provided guides in spaced relation with the bottom 2 of the receptacle and extending longitudinally of the sides thereof for the attachment of a match book to the receptacle as hereinafter described.

The top for the receptacle is indicated gen: erally by the numeral l3 and consists of a single plate of material having a suitable width to permit its slidable insertion between the side walls 9 under the guide flanges l2. This cover or slidable door I3 is provided, adjacent its forward or front end, with the upstruck guide tongues [4 which engage over the top of the guide flanges l2 while the remaining portion of the edge of the door engages beneath the same.

At the rear end of the receptacle, each of the guide flanges has an upwardly struck stop tongue l5 against which the guide tongues l4 of the door engage when the door is drawn rearwardly, thus preventing the door from becoming detached from the receptacle. In order to limit the forward movement of the door, the rear end thereof is curved downwardly slightly, as indicated at I6, and this down-curved portion abuts the back wall 4 when the door is moved into closing position.

The forward edge of the door [3 is likewise provided with a very slightly downturned porunderside of the door so that a similar tight engagement with the same is'obtained.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing that the receptacle is deeper at its forward end than at its rear end. The reason for making the receptacle in this manner will be readily appreciated from the following explanation of the manner in which a book or pad of matches is secured against the underside of the bottom of the receptacle. I

As is well known, the books or pads of safety matches which are commonly used, are of materially less thickness at the ends where the matches are attached than at the end where the heads of the matches are located. By properly proportioning the heights of the front and rear walls of the receptacle, it will be seen that if a book or pad of matches is placed against the underside thereof with the thicker end of the pad beneath the shallower end of the receptacle, the pad will form a bottom in which the underface will be substantially parallel with the cover of the receptacle and thus the receptacle will be held horizontally by combining these two bodies which have each a substantially wedge-like form. Such a book of matches is shown in Fig. 1 against the underside of the receptacle l', and is generally indicated by the numeral l8, the thinner end of the pad or book being indicated at I9, while the thicker end is indicated at 20.

The back of the match book, which is indicated by the numeral 2|, is placed against the underside of the bottom 2' of the receptacle, so that the movable side or flap which is indicated at 22, forms the actual bottom for the article. This flap engages beneath the flxed tongue portion 23 of the book in order to close the same, in the well known manner.

The match book is secured in the manner illustrated to the bottom of the receptacle by means of the side wall flanges H, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 4. This attachment of the book to the receptacle is accomplished by opening out the match book so that the back portion 2i, the end portion 29 and the front flap 22 are in line or in one plane and then sliding the free end of the portion 22 in between the flanges H and the receptacle bottom wall until the entire back portion 2| is in position against or in opposed relation, with the underside of the receptacle bottom wall. The flap 22 may then be bent around in they manner shown in Fig. 1, so that it may be closed in the usual manner.

In order that the slidable door or cover l3 may serve the additional function of a cigarette support, the body of the door may have struck up therefrom the longitudinally extending pairs of spaced ribs 24. Each pair of these ribs serves as a cradle in which a cigarette may be laid when the door of the receptacle is in open position so that the ash end of the cigarette will hang over the flanged end E6 of the door and any ashes which may fall from the cigarette may drop into the receptacle.

While I have described a specific fastening means for securing the side walls of the receptacle to the front and back walls thereof and have also described a specific means for slidably coupling the door with the guide flanges l2, and a specific means for attaching the match book to the bottom of the receptacle, it is to be understood. that various methods may be employed for obtaining these several results. For example, instead of making use of the longitudinal flanges formed integral with the side walls for supporting the book, the constructions shown in Figs. 5, 6,8 and 9 may be employed. In Figs. 5 and 6, there is shown a receptacle which is constructed in the same manner as the receptacle l, in that the bottom unit is made up of the parts 2, 3 and 4' and at the ends of the front and rear walls 3'. and 4', respectively, are formed tongues 5' for coaction with the tongues of the sidewalls; Atthe tops of the front and rear 5 walls the inturned flanges 'l' and 8' are formed and each of the side walls 9' is provided with a tongue ill which connects with the front and back walls through slots (not shown) which correspond with the slots 6 of the form previously described.

In this construction the side walls 9 are provided with the bottom and top longitudinal flanges ii, and 12', but in the assembling of the unit the bottom flanges II are disposed in contact with the. underside of the bottom wall 2'. The top is here shown as consisting of the flat plate l3 having the upstruck tongues 14' for slidable engagement with the flanges I2 while each of the latter flanges has the upstruck stop member l5 against which one of the tongues of each side of the top abuts to limit the opening movement of the top. The front and rear edges of thetop are downcurved, as indicated at I6 and ll for coaction with the adjacent end wall flanges in the manner previously described.

The means illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 for holding the match book in place comprises a pair of bands or straps 23 which are joined in a suitable manner to the bottom edges of the side walls 9', as shown in Fig. 6, and which extend across the receptacle in spaced relation with the bottom wall 2', there being one of these straps atthe rear end of the receptacle and one adjacent to the front end, as shown in Fig. 5. The match book is attached by slipping the opened out front and back flaps 222l, respectively, through the straps 23 until the forward one of these straps is forced into the area between the back of the book and the attached ends of the matches, thus bringing the rear strap 23 at the point illustrated, that is, where the flap may be bent around and brought into closing position.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate still another means of attaching the match book to the bottom of the receptacle wherein the bottom flanges ll" of the side walls 9" of the receptacle are provided with the ofistruck outset tongues 25. As shown in Fig. 8, where the bottom wall of the receptacle is indicated by the numeral 2", these ofiset tongues 25 are spacedfrom the flanges of the side walls so that the match book cover may be slipped into position between them and the flanges in a manner which is readily apparent from this View.

In the forms shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the top 13 is provided with spaced ribs 24 between each pair of which a cigarette may be placed when the lid is open and the receptacle is employed as a cigarette holder and ash tray.

Fig. 10 illustrates a modification of the means employed for slidably connecting the cover with the top of the receptacle. In this form of connecting means the cover is provided with the longitudinally extending side guide grooves 21 which open in opposite directions or laterally with respect to the cover body for the reception of the top flanges of the side walls of the receptacle. These flanges are here indicated by the numeral 52 as this form of cover may be readily applied to the receptacle shown in Fig. l or to any of the other forms referred to.

From the foregoing, it will be readily seen that there is provided a novel combination receptacle and match book or pad holder wherein the said book is securely attached to the receptacle but may be readily removed therefrom for replacement by a new book when necessary and, when attached to the receptacle, becomes a working part thereof so as to provide a base or bottom which supports the receptacle in perfectly horizontal position, thus facilitating the use of the receptacle as a cigarette supporter, in the manner described. f

In addition to the foregoing, the match pad attached to the underside of the receptacle serves as a bottom which will not mar or scratch any polished surface upon which the device may be placed, thus making it possible to make the receptacle of metal which itself might damage a polished surface upon which it might be put.

The present device, in addition to being of a character which would make it suitable for use as a novelty for sale, may also be employed as an advertising medium to be given away by tobacco or other dealers with advertisements of a suitable nature applied to the side walls or to any of the other surfaces suitable for such use.

What is claimed is: l

l. The combination in an article of the character described, of a receptacle having a shiftable cover whereby access may be had to the interior thereof, the receptacle being formed of greater height at one end than at the other, and a match book of wedge form secured to the bottom of the receptacle with the thinner end thereof disposed beneath the end of the receptacle of greatest height whereby the said book serves as a leveling supporting bottom part for the receptacle.

2. The combination in an article of the character described, of a receptacle having a shiftable top wall serving as a cover whereby access may be had to the interior thereof, a bottom wall disposed at an inclination with respect to the plane of the top wall whereby one end of the receptacle is of greater depth than the other end, a match book of wedge form disposed with its back against the underside of said bottom wall and with the end thereof of least thickness beneath the end of the receptacle of greatest thickness, and means integral with the bottom of the receptacle having engagement with the back of said book to detachably secure the book to the bottom of the receptacle, the said book serving as a support for the receptacle and maintaining the latter in a horizontal position.

3. The combination in an article of the character described, comprising a receptacle having bottom, side and front and back walls, said front and back walls having inturned lips at their top edges, inturned guide flanges extending long1- tudinally of the upper edges of the side walls and in spaced relation with said lips, a top wall constituting a shiftable cover for the receptacle, means at the opposite longitudinal edges of the top wall for slidably engaging said guide flanges, said lips bearing with resilient contact against the underside of the top wall, the said bottom wall being disposed at an angle with respect to the top wall, and means at the sides of the bottom wall for securing a match book of wedge form thereto whereby said match book serves as a leveling support for the receptacle.

4. In an article of the character described, a receptacle having bottom, side and front and rear walls, a shiftable top wall, means slidably connecting the top wall with the side walls, means limiting the movement of the top wall to opened and closed positions, resilient flanges extending across the top edges of the front and back walls for contact with the underside of said top wall to establish a tight connection therewith, said bottom wall being disposed at an inclination with respect to the top wall, and means 4 plane of the top wall whereby one end of the receptacle is of greater depth than the other end, a match book of wedge form disposed with its back against the underside of said bottom wall with the end of the book of least thickness beneath the end of the receptacle of greatest depth, and a pair of bar members having spaced parallel relation and disposed transversely of the underside of said bottom wall and having spaced relation therewith forming a loop through which the back portion of said book passes and is held against the receptacle bottom.

6. The combination in an article of the character described, of a receptacle having a shiftable top wall serving as a cover whereby access may be had to the interior thereof, a bottom wall disposed at an inclination with respect to the plane of the top wall whereby one end of the receptacle is of greater depth than the other end, a match book of wedge form disposed with its back against the underside of said bottom wall with the end of the book of least thickness beneath the end of the receptacle of greatest depth, and inwardly directed members connected with said bottom Wall at opposite edges thereof and having spaced relation with the bottom wall for engagement across adjacent side edges of the back of the match book for retaining the said match book in position against the bottom Wall.

AUGUST JOSEPH GELARDI. 

